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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27128749">The Night Before</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Patrice1599/pseuds/Patrice1599'>Patrice1599</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Lavender Fields [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Cormoran Strike Series - Robert Galbraith</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>First Kiss, Fluff</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 19:21:28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>829</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27128749</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Patrice1599/pseuds/Patrice1599</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>I just want to say thank you to everyone who read my first attempt at writing my two favorite characters. </p>
<p>Since I wrote Lavender Fields to account for the morning after, I felt it was only fair to write my idea of what happened the night before.</p>
<p>Set post Troubled Blood.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Robin Ellacott/Cormoran Strike</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Lavender Fields [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1980127</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>44</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Night Before</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Their breath fogged as they walked lazily down the sidewalk, laughing conspiratorially. They were both weaving a bit; Robin, on account of the champagne and Cormoran, on account of his missing leg, although he too had his fair share of champagne over the course of the evening. Not to mention the glasses of white wine and Doom Bar they consumed at the much more reasonable pub they had wandered into a block away from the Ritz. </p>
<p>“Took him a trip to casualty before he realized,” said Cormoran, guffawing at a story that he was fairly sure would get him killed if Shanker found out about it. </p>
<p>Robin was glowing as she glanced over at her partner. He was smiling in a carefree way that she hadn’t often seen outside of curry nights at Nick and Ilsa’s. She couldn’t remember the last time she had laughed like that. As she walked, she chafed her arms, the cold fall evening finally breaking through her pleasant buzz. </p>
<p>Cormoran noticed immediately, shrugging out of his suit jacket and placing it gently over her shoulders. His fingers grazed her collarbone and Robin was flooded with warmth all the way to her toes. </p>
<p>“Thank you Strike,” she said sincerely, wrapping herself more completely in his oversized jacket. She snuck a sniff and noticed again the lavender scent of his new aftershave. </p>
<p>“You smell different,” she blurted out before realizing what she had said. She immediately began to flush as Cormoran looked back at her, his smile fading slightly. </p>
<p>“What do I normally smell like?” he said, quirking his eyebrow. </p>
<p>I’ve really stepped in it now, she told herself, quickly running through possible responses in her head. She decided that erring on the side of honesty was her best choice.</p>
<p>“Hmm...cigarettes, doom bar and more often than not, chocolate digestives,” she said, a sly smile stealing across her face. </p>
<p>If she had answered honestly, she thought she might have added “home”. But that was something she could never take back. </p>
<p>“Fair play. I thought a night at the Ritz warranted a slightly less offensive aroma,” he said with a wry smile, surprised to see how quickly they had managed the walk to Robin's flat. </p>
<p>“It’s nice,” she said quietly, realizing that her birthday evening was sadly over. </p>
<p>The formerly festive atmosphere quickly changed between the two detectives as they stood side by side, both uncertain about how to end such a night. </p>
<p>“I hope you had a good birthday,” he murmured, turning to face Robin, who was determinedly refusing to meet his eye. </p>
<p>She summoned up her substantial courage and met his gaze directly. </p>
<p>“I think it was the best birthday I’ve ever had,” she said sincerely. She glanced down, back up again and before Robin knew what she was doing, she was kissing him gently. </p>
<p>The kiss shocked Cormoran and he froze, startled. It wasn’t until Robin pulled away, looking up at him with uncertainty, that he realized how much he wanted this, how much he wanted her. He leaned forward, wrapping his arms around her waist and kissed her gently back. Her lips responded and it was like a lit fuse between them. Her arms snaked up around his neck, and the suit jacket fell  to the ground unnoticed. </p>
<p>They remained entwined, his hands gripping her waist, hers running across his wide shoulders when he realized that things were getting out of hand quickly. He moved his lips gently up and down her neck before murmuring into her ear, “Robin, stop, we have to stop.” His breath on her neck caused goosebumps to erupt across her bare skin. He could smell the scent of her new perfume and new that he would never forget that scent for the rest of his life. Robin inhaled deeply and took a step back, wrapping her arms around herself. She felt slightly rejected. </p>
<p>“What if I don’t want to stop?” she whispered, a slight blush stealing across her cheeks.</p>
<p>“I don’t want to stop either,” he said bluntly, rubbing his hands absentmindedly up and down her bare arms. “But we’ve both been drinking and I think we’ll both regret it if this goes any further tonight.” </p>
<p>She nodded dejectedly. “I hate to admit it, but I think you’re right.” </p>
<p>Strike smiled widely. “I’m glad to hear that I’m right even if it’s only occasionally.” </p>
<p>Robin smiled back at him despite herself. She was relieved to know the camaraderie they shared had not magically disappeared with this new development. Strike bent down to pick up his discarded suit jacket. As he straightened he reached out and took Robin’s hand, raising it to his lips and kissing it very gently. She looked like a goddess to him at that moment, the stars twinkling in her blue-grey eyes.</p>
<p>“Good night Robin. Happy birthday,” he said as she turned the door handle and stumbled into the house. He was still watching her, chuckling slightly as she closed the door behind her.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I've read so many amazing variations on their first kiss, and every single one makes me smile.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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